Kansai’s music scene has witnessed all sorts of significant changes over the last decade, from the re-implementation of the fueiho laws to their subsequent phasing out a couple years ago, to the migration of many artists from Osaka to Tokyo because…well, trends in living. Yet the W – Western Japan Compilation made between rave-born label Mixjam and LANCHR reminds that for all the changes, a strong electronic scene supported by youth remains. The set collects songs from producers hailing from the region, playing out kind of like a Kansai-focused FOGPAK. Familiar names pop up — Kyoto’s Native Rapper delivers a nervy, 8-bit-tinged pop number with “Passion Fruit,” which also shines by sounding nothing like the Drake song, while Blacklolita and Batsu flex their harder-hitting side on the tracks they contribute. Still, the best part of this is the new artists you (well, me within the context of this paragraph) find. ENEMY’s “Digital Trip” sits somewhere between rumbling club fare and something fluffier, with these cotton-candy vocal flourishes hanging around, while Tomoyu approaches funkot on the giddy “Albion,” somehow fitting 2NE1 in there too. But as usual — just jump in and see what sticks with you. Listen above.
